


Dogwatch

by Mansaeboysbe



Category: K-pop, K.A.R.D (Band)
Genre: Angst, Prelude
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 13:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16159679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mansaeboysbe/pseuds/Mansaeboysbe
Summary: A prequel to "The Night Shift"





	Dogwatch

**Author's Note:**

> -Admin Mari

Matthew leaned back in his chair, bored out of his mind. He pushed the chair back until only his toes brushed the floor.

“You’re going to fall,” Somin murmured from the couch. She was fingering the wads of cash from their latest deal.

“I’m pretty sure I know my own-”

He fell back, a loud crash resonating throughout the room. His limbs were splayed out, head resting against the hardwood floor, but instead of moving, he just laid there.

“You’re an idiot,” he heard Jiwoo say.

For a moment he continued to lay there all sprawled out, but eventually, he picked himself and the chair up and turned it to face backward so there was less temptation. He sat down, crossing his arms over the back, and watched as Taehyung dealt out the next hand.

“Somin, are you sure you don’t want to play?” Matthew called, looking over at the blonde, who barely acknowledged him as she shook her head and the picked up another stack of money.

“You’re not even playing,” Taehyung muttered. Matthew shrugged.

A few minutes passed and he was already bored of watching Jiwoo and Taehyung try to out-poker-face each other. He stood and crossed the room, grabbing a hoodie and was about to go out the door when Somin called to him.

“Come back alive. We still need to make the plans for tomorrow.”

He rolled his eyes and stepped out, maneuvering out of the building and onto the sidewalk. Their hideout was way out of the way but that was what they had wanted.

However, it made walking anywhere a pain in the ass.

It was over forty-five minutes before he reached anywhere that would be open at one in the morning. The chilly air had sunk beneath the fabric of his jacket and all he wanted was a drink to relieve the tension that plagued his shoulders.

As of late, the people opposing them had been more…difficult, so to say. Usually, Matthew would just handle any awry meetings, but there had been so many that Taehyung and even Jiwoo had needed to step up.

There was a building sitting on the corner of an out of the way street that seemed to be radiating music and an upbeat atmosphere. Usually, he would have simply walked away, too stressed to want to deal with the kind of people who frequented clubs at night on a Saturday. However, he felt drawn to it for some reason, as if an invisible force was pulling him in.

Or maybe he was just sleep deprived and there were pretty colors coming from the entryway. Also a possibility.

Either way, he found himself walking right into the building as he was waved through by the bodyguard standing at the entrance, bypassing a line of men and women alike who were waiting to get in.

For a while he wandered around, getting a feel for exits and hiding spots as he was trained to do, occasionally winking at the people who held their gaze for a little too long. But then he found his way over to the bar, taking a seat and ordering a glass of whiskey.

He had it at his lips when the bartender was pulled aside by the manager and a spat ensued. Matthew watched the two in the mirror that lined the wall, more with curiosity than unease.

“Oh please, how are you going to find a replacement? I’m the only one you got.”

“I don’t give a fuck. You’re fired. Did you honestly think I wouldn’t see the kind of shit you do on the job? Get the hell out of here before I call the cops.”

The bartender scoffed, crossing his arms, “And who’s gonna finish out the night, huh? You?”

“Anyone would be better than you.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah,” the manager paused, looking around, and Matthew continued to watch in the mirror, so he wasn’t surprised in the slightest when the older man marched up to him and looked up.

“Hey, kid.”

Matthew chose to ignore the nickname but still looked up, pretending he hadn’t been listening as he quirked an eyebrow.

“You want a job?”

The look on the ex-bartender’s face was priceless and Matthew found himself saying yes just to provoke him further. The manager left to get paperwork and the ex-employee threw the towel he was holding down in frustration before stalking off.

Everything after that was a blur and soon Matthew was walking out of the club with a new job and voice in the back of his head that repeatedly told him that the others were going to kill him.

Maybe it’ll all be worth it, he thought.


End file.
